1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to golf balls and, more specifically, to surface configurations for golf balls.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The modern golf ball comprises a spherical body formed of a resilient material. The outer layer or surface of the ball is formed with a plurality of depressions or so-called "dimples" which act to provide superior aerodynamic properties when the ball is in flight.
When a golf club impacts with a conventional golf ball, the ball acquires translational velocity in the intended direction of travel and the ball spins about a rotational axis. The direction the axis of rotation assumes with respect to the ground and the amount of spin are the primary factors in determining how far the ball will travel and whether it will hook or slice, i.e., diverge from a straight path, upon leaving the golf club.
A wide variety of surface configurations for golf balls have been made in which the size, depth and disposition or pattern of the depressions on the surface of the ball have been varied in order to obtain optimum aerodynamic properties and improved flight performance. For example, the most widely used surface configuration on golf balls today has identical and uniformly spaced dimples over the entire surface of the ball. It is also known to provide certain dimple-free areas on the surface of the ball to achieve different flight characteristics, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,819,190 and 4,142,727.
However, it has been discovered that yet improved flight characteristics can still be obtained over golf balls having these surface configurations. Despite the improved aerodynamic properties provided by these surface configurations in increasing the distance the ball travels, these dimple arrangements do little to correct or to control the flight path the ball takes when improperly hit, as commonly occurs with the average golfer. In hitting the ball, if the club is not travelling in the same direction as the intended path of the ball, i.e., with the planar surface normal to the flight direction, a sideways spin is imparted to the ball causing forces to act thereon similar to those imparting lift to the ball during its flight. These sideways acting forces urge the ball to one side or the other from the intended flight path resulting in a curved flight, commonly referred to as a "hook" or "slice" depending upon the direction of the spin.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a golf ball having an improved surface configuration which eliminates the forces acting on the golf ball during flight along certain axes of rotation. It would be desirable to provide a golf ball having an improved surface configuration in which the aerodynamic forces causing hooking or slicing of the ball during flight are substantially eliminated.